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The EIS Program. Program on Environmental Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa. A multi-donor sponsored initiative to build capacity for managing environment information. BY JACOB GYAMFI-AIDOO CO-ORDINATOR. Environment Information Systems.
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The EIS Program Program on Environmental Information Systems in Sub-Saharan Africa A multi-donor sponsored initiative to build capacity for managing environment information BY JACOB GYAMFI-AIDOO CO-ORDINATOR
Environment Information Systems • Defined as “the institutional and technical framework, essential for improving the flow and use of information in environmental management.” • The frameworkincludes: • Strategies • Policies and procedures • Core data setsand data management tools • Communication and networking mechanisms
Program Features • Adoption of a common approach for each participating country • Strong local participation and consensus-building • Focus on the development of human resources • Problem-focus within a clearly defined policy framework • Building upon existing national data systems • Strong donor participation and co-ordination
EIS Program IGAD (RIIS) REIMP SADC/RRSU South Africa (NSIF) Coverage
Achievements The main achievements of the EIS Program include: • Awareness creation • Contributing to knowledge through country case studies • Promoting data standardisation and harmonisation • Promoting the concept of shared data resources at the national level • Networking
T E C H N O L O G Y INFORMATION DATA FIELD DECISIONS INSTITUTIONAL FRAMEWORK
Lessons Learnt • Adoption of the distributed (enterprise GIS) model • Common data infrastructure • Custodianship of data • Framework approach • Principles and norms • Standards • Long-term perspective, founded on consensus building
Data Harmonisation • Networking and co-ordination • Country-At-A-Glance data sets • Ghana (completed) • Côte d’Ivoire (under construction) • Uganda (interest expressed) • RRSU CD-ROM • Harmonised data set for SADC
Challenges • Remaining relevant to the changing needs of countries, sub-regions and Africa as a whole • Shifting from project-orientation to responding to strategic policy frameworks • Supporting countries in meeting their global obligations (conventions, etc.) • Building linkages and synergy among initiatives • Adapting to changes in information technology
Future Perspectives • Incorporation • Pan-African NGO (EIS Network) • Strategy • Partnership • Services to members and partners • Facilitation, geo-information brokerage and leveraging • Support for studies or policy-research • Effective networking
Coordinates The EIS Program, c/o CSIR-Environmentek, Building 33, Room N254, P.O. Box 395, Pretoria 0001 Republic of South Africa Tel: +27-12-349 1068 Fax: +27-12-349 2080 Em: eis.program@mweb.co.za URL: http://www.grida.no/prog/global/eis-ssa/